The annual Global 100, launched in 2005 by Toronto-based media and investment advisory company Corporate Knights, recognizes successful corporations that have been world leaders in environmental, social, and governance issues.

This year, Corporate Knights analyzed 7425 companies with gross revenue of at least US$1 billion against 17 quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs included energy, carbon, water, waste intensity, innovation capacity, leadership diversity, and supplier performance, in addition to financial health and management. This data-driven assessment ranks 100 companies, which represent the top two percent in the world on sustainability performance.

Being named as one of the most sustainable companies in the world aligns with our commitment to positively impact people, society, and the planet through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.

Our CSR strategy

For more than 30 years, Cisco has combined the power of technology with innovative, entrepreneurial, and passionate people to address critical global issues like unemployment, hunger, poverty, climate change, and income inequality.

At Cisco, we focus our efforts where our strengths can make the most significant impact, and our impact areas include education, economic empowerment, critical human needs, environmental sustainability, innovation, and supporting our people — areas that are also addressed in the Global 100 methodology.

I am proud that Cisco has again been recognized as a global leader in sustainability, and of our recent CSR accomplishments. For example, we’re using renewable energy more and more to operate our business.

In FY17, 80% of the electricity we used worldwide came from renewable sources. We also hit a substantial environmental goal, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 41% compared with our FY07 baseline, keeping us on track for a 60% reduction by 2022.

Accelerating Global Problem Solving and innovation

Cisco has been at the center of digital transformation for years, connecting people and things to the Internet to improve lives. As part of our goal to positively impact 1 billion people by 2025, Cisco is empowering a generation of global problem solvers who will drive innovation and thrive in our digital economy.

Our Global Problem Solver Challenge recognizes 10 teams of students and recent graduates whose innovative ideas use Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to drive economic development, solve social and environmental problems, and promote inclusion. The 2017 grand-prize winner, Project Vive, made an affordable speech-generating device (pictured above) that uses sensors and Bluetooth technology to give a voice to people with medical conditions that make them unable to speak. The Voz Box is customizable to the individual, but also offered at a fraction of what is currently available.

Creating a diverse and inclusive culture

Cisco has been on the Forbes “Best Companies to Work For” list for 21 years, and we are committed to building a culture that values personal and professional growth. We also believe that inclusion connects diverse perspectives, challenges the status quo, and unlocks the full potential of our people.

In 2017, we received 26 industry distinctions and inclusive leadership awards and scored 100% on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for the 14th consecutive year. We know that leading on diversity means starting at the top, and our executive leadership team is one of the most diverse in our industry (46% diversity), demonstrating that inclusion is fundamental to who we are.